In light of the escalating violence in Xinjiang, IHRC urgently asks campaigners to send letters to the foreign ministers and Chinese ambassadors in their respective countries.

In addition to the updated sample letters and addresses for sample letters that can be found below, please read the article by exiled Uighur leader Rebiya Kadeer regarding the current unrest (http://www.ihrc.org.uk/show.php?id=4230).

2. Background

IHRC is deeply concerned over the escalating violence in Xinjiang Uighur Autonomous Region (XUAR). Reports suggest the unrest has now spread from Urumqi to the cities of Kashgar, Yarkand, Aksu, Khotan and Karamay.

There are conflicting reports from various sources regarding the number of dead in Urumqi, and the cause of these deaths. Official reports say at least 156 have been killed, while other sources put the figure above 1,000. Uighur sources within Xinjiang say that 400 Uighurs have been killed by police. So far, there have been 1,000 injured and 1,434 arrested in relation to the unrest in Xinjiang.

Official reports link the unrest to the death of two Uighur factory workers in June in an ethnic clash at a toy factory in Shaoguan, Guangdong province. However, other reports suggest that more than 100 Uighurs were killed during the incident at the factory. While the Chinese authorities imposed an information black-out on the incident, it was allegedly the rumours of this incident, and the governmentÝs inaction, that sparked an estimated 10,000 Uighur protestors to take to the streets in Urumqi.

Reports suggest police knew in advance protestors would be demonstrating in large numbers and blocked the roads to prevent them from assembling. This, and heavy-handed policing toward Uighurs, is thought to have played a role in turning the initially peaceful protests in Urumqi into violent riots.

It is probable that the substantial influx of Han Chinese to the region has played a role in the current unrest. A drastic Űin-transferÝ of ethnic Han Chinese has coincided a government policy of transferring Uighur women from Xinjiang to the urban areas of ChinaÝs eastern seaboard for forced labour, significantly changing the regionÝs demographics.

ChinaÝs Uighurs are undoubtedly amongst the most repressed peoples of the world. Some of the human rights abuses Uighurs face are forced labour, forced abortion, human trafficking, arbitrary arrest and detention, and severe racial and religious persecution and discrimination. For further information on the human rights situation of Uighurs in China, please visit links below:

IHRC calls on the Chinese government to carry out an open and independent investigation into the ethnic clash and deaths that took place in Guangdong in late June. Protestors must be dealt with in a proportionate and even-handed manner and all deaths and arrests in Xinjiang must be accounted for.Those arrested must receive fair trials in accordance with international standards, and adequate investigations should be done surrounding all deaths. Additionally, the Chinese government must begin addressing the abhorrent human rights situation in Xinjiang.

IHRC urgently asks campaigners to send letters to the foreign ministers and Chinese ambassadors in their respective countries regarding the escalating violence in Xinjiang, specifically raising the points mentioned immediately above. In addition to writing to the Chinese ambassador and foreign minister in your country, you may write to the foreign ministers of Brunei, India, Indonesia, Iran, Malaysia, South Africa, Sri Lanka and Turkey, irrespective of the country in which you reside.

3. Action required

a) Write to the Chinese ambassadors in your respective countries regarding the escalating violence in Xinjiang, specifically raising the mentioned points. At the end of the alert, embassy details are provided for campaigners in Australia, Brunei, Canada, India, Indonesia, Iran, Malaysia, South Africa, Sri Lanka, Turkey, UK and USA.

b) Write to the foreign ministers of your respective countries requesting them to raise with their Chinese counterparts the mentioned points relating to the escalating violence in Xinjiang. At the end of this alert are the contact details for foreign ministries in Australia, Brunei, Canada, India, Indonesia, Iran, Malaysia, South Africa, Sri Lanka, Turkey, UK and USA for campaigners in those countries.

Additionally, you may write to the foreign ministers of Brunei, India, Indonesia, Iran, Malaysia, Sri Lanka and Turkey, irrespective of the country you reside in.

Sample letters are given below for your convenience. Please note that model letters can be sent directly or adjusted as necessary to include further details. If you receive a reply to the letter you send, we request you to send a copy of the letter you sent and the reply you received to IHRC. This is very important as it helps IHRC to monitor the situation with regards to our campaigns and to improve upon the current model letters. It is preferable that letters be sent via post, or otherwise by fax and/or email.

I am deeply worried about the current violence in XUAR. There are various conflicting reports regarding the number of dead in Urumqi, and the cause of these deaths. Official reports say at least 156 have been killed, while other sources put the figure above 1,000. Uighur sources within Xinjiang say that 400 Uighurs have been killed by police. So far, there have been 1,000 injured and 1,434 arrested in relation to the unrest in Xinjiang.

As you may be aware, the Uighurs of China are amongst the most repressed peoples of the world. Some of the human rights abuses Uighurs face are forced labour, forced abortion, human trafficking, arbitrary arrest and detention, and severe racial and religious persecution. I am very concerned that the Chinese authorities may use the current protests and unrest as an excuse to severely crackdown on the regions Uighurs, making sweeping arrests, and curtail even further the Uighurs rights.

I urge you to seek assurances from your Chinese counterparts that they will deal with protestors in a proportionate and even-handed manner, and that they will account for all deaths and arrests in Xinjiang. Those arrested must receive fair trials in accordance with international standards, and adequate investigations should be done surrounding all deaths. Further, please call on the Chinese authorities to conduct an open and independent investigation into the ethnic clash and deaths that took place in Guangdong in late June, and to appropriately address the root cause of the current unrest, namely the abhorrent human rights situation for Uighurs in China.

I am deeply worried about the current violence in XUAR. There are various conflicting reports regarding the number of dead in Urumqi, and the cause of these deaths. Official reports say at least 156 have been killed, while other sources put the figure above 1,000. Uighur sources within Xinjiang say that 400 Uighurs have been killed by police. So far, there have been 1,000 injured and 1,434 arrested in relation to the unrest in Xinjiang.

As you may be aware, the Uighurs of XUAR are amongst the most repressed peoples of the world. Some of the human rights abuses Uighurs face are forced labour, forced abortion, human trafficking, arbitrary arrest and detention, and severe racial and religious persecution. I am very concerned that the Chinese government may use the current protests and unrest as an excuse to severely crackdown on the regions Uighurs, making sweeping arrests, and curtail even further the Uighurs rights.

I hereby urge the Chinese government to deal with protestors in a proportionate and even-handed manner, and to account for all deaths and arrests in Xinjiang. Those arrested must receive fair trials in accordance with international standards, and adequate investigations should be done surrounding all deaths. Further, I request the Chinese government to conduct an open and independent investigation into the ethnic clash and deaths that took place in Guangdong in late June, and to appropriately address the root cause of the current unrest, namely the abhorrent human rights situation for Uighurs in China.

Minister of International Relations and Co-operation of the Republic of South Africa ˝
Hon. Ms Maite Nkoana-Mashabane
Department of Foreign Affairs
Private Bag X152
PRETORIA 0001
Republic of South Africa

If you want to subscribe to the IHRC list please send an email to subscribe@ihrc.org

If you want to unsubscribe from the IHRC list please send an email from your subscribed email address to unsubscribe@ihrc.org

If you are reusing this alert, please cite the source.

For more information, please contact the office on the numbers or email below.

\"And what reason have you that you should not fight in the way of Allah and of the weak among the men and the women and the children, (of) those who say: Our Lord! Cause us to go forth from this town, whose people are oppressors, and give us from Thee a guardian and give us from Thee a helper.\"
Holy Qur\'an: Chapter 4, Verse 75